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Dragons of Dulnaeria
These giant reptiles have long inhabited the continent. While many types of dragons exist, they all fall under one of two broad categories. Categories Static These are the familiar chromatic and metallic dragons. About 5 draconic generations ago (ca. -7,000), some dragons achieved forms that not only they were pleased with, but impressed others of their kind as well. A small cabal of fourteen wyrms formed, the greatest dragons of the age. These dragons pooled their arcane resources. They spent decades searching the Sea Above and the Storm Below for sources of mystic power. After much time and effort, and the loss of two of their number, the dragons had what they needed. They began a great ritual in central Dulnaeria. This ritual would eliminate the dragons’ natural mutability and fixed their forms. Upon its completion, a shockwave of magical power radiated through the land, creating what is now called the Oscuri Wastes. The effect of the ritual was immediate. The dragons could feel the stasis of their new forms. They new instinctively that their characteristics would pass onto their offspring, though those wyrmlings would have to undergo the same ritual to keep the traits of their parent. The side effects were also obvious, the dragons instantly found themselves antagonistic towards one another, believing the others would try to harm them. They found that the current surroundings were not to their liking, and departed for other lands to claim territory similar to the ones they are known to favor today. This ritual was shared with other “wild” dragons who wished to lock their potential in place, giving us the large variety of static dragons we know of today. Today, each type of dragon is part of a lineage. Within those lineages are families that vie for prestige among the line and with other static dragons in general. The lineages themselves are grouped together as chromatic and metallic. Known Lineages Metallic Gold: The Linea Aureaux. The First Line, the Resplendent Suns. Current patriarch is Allacksymeus, resides on the northern coast of the Insallach peninsula. Silver: The Righteous Mountain. The Third Line, the Light in the Darkness. Syllandravastiana has been matriarch for 983 years. Bronze: The Armored Saints. The Sixth Line, the Herder of Folk. Indropinnian is the line’s eldest and lives just outside Imperikka. Brass: The Shifting Sands. The Seventh Line, the Watcher of Ways. Without a current leader, the Brass Line may fall in a generation. The three contenders for the slot all dwell in the Alabaster Desert. Copper: The Woodland Devils. The Ninth Line, the Keeper of Thoughts. The Litavian Forest is home to Bragannapax, patriarch of the line and mate to tribal tiefling princess. Steel: The Village Masquer. The Twelfth Line, the Windowed Candle. Ori ulSharan heads the line at yearly meetings in Highwater. Iron: The Vicious Defender. The Fifteenth Line, the Talon of the Flights. Matriarch Demnothrassus lurks in the Jagged Mountain Range. Orium: The Steaming Serpents. The Sixteenth Line, the Finder of Secrets. Patriarch Horannusinnian prowls the ruins of the Tannan empire. Cobalt: The Hunter in the Ice. The Seventeenth Line, the Test of Strength. Croxanndazar stalks the Ning-Valla. Chromatic Red: The Vulcan Tempest. The Second Line, the Warriors of the Vault. Thermodamnus is the strongest of the line, and lives in the volcano Dread Pit in the Dragonclaw Range. Blue: The Stalking Storm. The Fourth Line, the Thundering Rage. Lilandrillax rules the skies (and her line) from her lair on the northeastern coast. Green: The Vile Tempter. The Fifth Line, the Forest Marauder. Ellandrogar hunts the eladrin of the Bright Lands as his ancestors did. Grey: The Quickening Threat. The Eighth Line, the Breaker of Walls. Yzorderrex IV is the patriarch of the line. He dwells in the badlands near the Dya Shute mountains. Black: The Corrosive Lurker. The Tenth Line, the Fever in the Swamp. Blarregdanna hides in the caves of the Black Swamp. Purple: The Shadowed Scholar. The Eleventh Line, the Puppeteer of Caverns. Ulanskrillous roams the underdark as patriarch. White: The Icy Gale. The Thirteenth Line, the Beast of the Blizzard. Goraxa is matriarch and she resides in the northernmost reaches of the Ning-Valla. Brown: The Sands of Fate. The Fourteenth Line, the Seers of Time. Orandimioso studies the skeins of Fate in the Alabaster Desert. Dynamic The original dragons of the world, whose traits are not restricted to bloodlines. The first recorded dragon was in the Bright Lands around -8,200. They are believed to have migrated here from another plane of existence or world, as the religious texts make no mention of them; though some scholars say the Creators might have made them in secret and hid them away. Wild dragons are a highly adaptable species with near-limitless potential. Things such as scale coloration, breath-weapon type, climate preference, and innate magical abilities are all able to be altered; though it takes great effort and practice on the dragon’s part. Without conscious direction, a wild dragon will take on characteristics appropriate to its surroundings, like certain other reptilians. The lack of uniform traits for wild dragons has led to many an adventurer’s demise, as parties going off to fight a dragon will often prepare based on the reported color of its scales. A terrible mistake when a red scaled dragon begins attacking with icy breath-weapons… Dynamic dragons are less hoard-obsessed than their static counterparts. Giant piles of coins do little for a wild dragon. They are, however, insatiable arcane experimenters. Magic items and residuum are highly sought for ritual use. It is believed that many draconic species, including draconians, dragonborn, kobolds, dragonspawn, and drakes were all the result of wild dragon magical experimentation. Today, wild dragons are rarer than their static cousins, though neither group is particularly common. Wild Dragons of Note The first Dulnaerian Dragon Lisharrack found Dulnaeria through the Feywild. He was what would now be called an Ancient Wyrm. His scales were the deep green of that plane’s winter forests, and his breath-weapon was lightning. He discovered the eladrin city of Caelshannas, and his taste for eladrin flesh was honed here. After terrorizing that city, the dragon toured the countryside of the Bright Lands, sending groups of terrified fey into the world. It was during this wave of terror that other dragons found their way to Dulnaeria as well. Though none were as powerful as Lisharrack, they certainly caused much havoc among the burgeoning civilizations on the continent. After a over a decade of being harried by the great reptiles, the eladrin general Corellon Larethian took command of the fey forces. His tactics of small strike forces trapping dragons in their lairs was largely successful. Lisharrack was too wily for this though, and the Courtless One knew it. The great dragon eluded him for another twelve years, before finally meeting in combat on the Hill of Violet Moonlight. The General used a powerful enchantment that bade his long-sword, Summer Storm, appear in his hand when the dragon was about to swallow him. Sliding down the dragon’s gullet, Corellon carved a deep trench the length of Lisharrack’s throat. Corellon escaped from the tear he made, but was so horrifically wounded by the beast’s digestive acids that he died as the dragon’s own death rattle sounded out.